Copyright © 2011 by Cheryl Palmer
Graveyard Rabbit of South Alameda County by Cheryl Palmer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.
Showing posts with label Roselawn Cemetery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roselawn Cemetery. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Wordless Wednesday ~ View at Roselawn Cemetery
Roselawn Cemetery. February 5, 2009. Digital Image. Held by Cheryl. [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE] California. 2010
Copyright © 2010 by Cheryl Palmer
Friday, April 2, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Roses for Rowe and Robinson at Roselawn
One day while I was strolling through Roselawn Cemetery I saw this unique headstone. It was for Nellie Kennedy Rowe. I knew I had to take pictures of this headstone with all of the roses. The name Rowe from Livermore meant something to me,too. I know a Rowe, or should probably say, knew a Rowe from Livermore. I have no idea if there is a relation between these two or not, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if there is.
Nellie was born January 26, 1912 in Arkansas and died February 18, 1985 in San Joaquin County, Ca. The center of the headstone shares picture of Nellie. Below her picture there is an phrase which reads ~
Right next to Nellie's headstone was another headstone which at a quick glance I assumed to be Nellie's husband. I quickly took the pictures and moved on. Upon returning home and really looking at these headstones, I realized, this second headstone was not that of Nellie's husband. The name on this headstone reads Johnny Dean Robinson. The dates state ~ Born August 3, 1961 ~ Died July 21, 1983. Johnny only lived to be 22 years of age. The year he was born, 1961, and the year Nelli was born, 1912, were definitely from different generations.
Johnny's picture is also in the middle and below his picture it reads ~
The banner to the bottom right on Johnny's headstone has the initials J.D.R, Johnny Dean Robinson?
Nellie was born January 26, 1912 in Arkansas and died February 18, 1985 in San Joaquin County, Ca. The center of the headstone shares picture of Nellie. Below her picture there is an phrase which reads ~"JUST BECAUSE I LOVE YOU."
The label to the right of this has the initials, as I read them to be, "C.C."
Right next to Nellie's headstone was another headstone which at a quick glance I assumed to be Nellie's husband. I quickly took the pictures and moved on. Upon returning home and really looking at these headstones, I realized, this second headstone was not that of Nellie's husband. The name on this headstone reads Johnny Dean Robinson. The dates state ~ Born August 3, 1961 ~ Died July 21, 1983. Johnny only lived to be 22 years of age. The year he was born, 1961, and the year Nelli was born, 1912, were definitely from different generations.
Johnny's picture is also in the middle and below his picture it reads ~ "IN ALL THAT IS BEAUTIFUL
HE SMILES."
I was unable to find what the initials on Nellie's headstone stand for at this point. Johnny must have been Nellie's grandson.
Copyright © 2010 by Cheryl Palmer
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Wordless Wednesday ~ Cohen
Angel Lynn Cohen b. April 5, 1990 d. December 23, 1990. You'll always be our angel. Roselawn Cemetery, Livermore, California
Monday, September 14, 2009
Oak Knoll Cemetery - Part Nine - The Meeting
The day finally came when Jeff and Gregg and I were to meet. Jeff is the Livermore Heritage Guild president. Gregg is the descendant of William Mendenhall who contacted me online. Gregg was to unveil a story he was told by his grandmother, long ago.
Even I seemed a bit nervous on this bright sunshiny day of our meeting. It had been such a build up to this point, and the story was actually coming out on this day. The decision was to meet at Roselawn Cemetery in Livermore early on a Sunday morning.
I arrived at the cemetery purposely earlier than the arranged meeting time. I wanted to explore the cemetery a bit and look at the Mendenhall grave site. Because I knew the story, I also wanted to check out the lay of the cemetery a bit too.
The cemetery was quiet and empty. I finally went to the meeting area, where I found someone leaning against his car. I pulled up and asked if he was waiting for someone, and he said "yeah, you." It had to be Gregg. I asked how he was as I got out of my truck and he replied “not so good.” When I asked why he told me the cemetery wasn't as he remembered it, it had changed. Indeed it had.
It wasn't long before Jeff Kaskey showed up and we all introduced ourselves to one another. Gregg explained to Jeff how he found me, and a bit of how he is related to the Mendenhall's. We talked about William Mendenhall's headstone being found, the background of the Mendenhall family and the origins starting from Oak Knoll Cemetery. Gregg knew so much of the Mendenhall history and explained he had tried to tell "his story" before, but there was a major lack of interest ten years earlier.
Eventually we all walked across the cemetery up to the Mendenhall burial site, talking all the way. Here, I took a couple of pictures of Jeff and Gregg. I don't know where the time went, but the conversation was non-stop for a good hour and a half. We eventually started heading back toward our cars and I am sure Jeff thought he had heard everything he was going to from Gregg and seemed anxious to move on to his next appointment.
Shortly before reaching our original meeting point, Gregg casually came out with what he wanted to tell Jeff. Jeff stopped dead in his tracks. I am not sure he knew what to say, or think. It caught him off guard.
(Remember where this leaves off and please watch for Part Ten of this series when the full story comes out! I just felt it was to much to put all in one post. I would love to share a picture with you of Gregg and Jeff, I feel I need to ask permission first though as I never told them I planned on posting any of the pictures.)
Even I seemed a bit nervous on this bright sunshiny day of our meeting. It had been such a build up to this point, and the story was actually coming out on this day. The decision was to meet at Roselawn Cemetery in Livermore early on a Sunday morning.
I arrived at the cemetery purposely earlier than the arranged meeting time. I wanted to explore the cemetery a bit and look at the Mendenhall grave site. Because I knew the story, I also wanted to check out the lay of the cemetery a bit too.
The cemetery was quiet and empty. I finally went to the meeting area, where I found someone leaning against his car. I pulled up and asked if he was waiting for someone, and he said "yeah, you." It had to be Gregg. I asked how he was as I got out of my truck and he replied “not so good.” When I asked why he told me the cemetery wasn't as he remembered it, it had changed. Indeed it had.
It wasn't long before Jeff Kaskey showed up and we all introduced ourselves to one another. Gregg explained to Jeff how he found me, and a bit of how he is related to the Mendenhall's. We talked about William Mendenhall's headstone being found, the background of the Mendenhall family and the origins starting from Oak Knoll Cemetery. Gregg knew so much of the Mendenhall history and explained he had tried to tell "his story" before, but there was a major lack of interest ten years earlier.
Eventually we all walked across the cemetery up to the Mendenhall burial site, talking all the way. Here, I took a couple of pictures of Jeff and Gregg. I don't know where the time went, but the conversation was non-stop for a good hour and a half. We eventually started heading back toward our cars and I am sure Jeff thought he had heard everything he was going to from Gregg and seemed anxious to move on to his next appointment.
Shortly before reaching our original meeting point, Gregg casually came out with what he wanted to tell Jeff. Jeff stopped dead in his tracks. I am not sure he knew what to say, or think. It caught him off guard.
(Remember where this leaves off and please watch for Part Ten of this series when the full story comes out! I just felt it was to much to put all in one post. I would love to share a picture with you of Gregg and Jeff, I feel I need to ask permission first though as I never told them I planned on posting any of the pictures.)
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Oak Knoll Cemetery - Part 8 - Mendenhall Phone Conversation
Part seven in this series left off with phone numbers being exchanged between Gregg and I. We finally had that phone conversation a few weeks back. He called me one evening at about 9:30 and we spoke for three and a half hours. Can you believe it? I thought it was three hours but I have been corrected.
For me this was a most fascinating conversation. I learn more and more about the Mendenhall history and family all the time. It is amazing what one remembers when it involves your own family. Gregg remembered and shared so much with me. Everything was so exciting, it was difficult sometimes to believe I really wasn't part of the family. I have found history much more appealing these days compared to when I was in school and it was presented in such a dry manner. I really appreciate the stories I hear from family descendants, they aren't just dates and places, they are the meat and bones of the family.
We discussed what brought us together in the first place and why. I was given more explicit information regarding a story he wanted to share. He seemed content to have me present when the time comes that he meets the Historical Society President. What an honor, I was going to be present for this meeting!
I believe had it not been so very late when we ended the phone conversation we would have talked much longer. However, by the end our conversation Gregg was ready to meet with Jeff. Within a couple of days I was speaking with Jeff electronically. Jeff agreed to a meeting place and time. We were to meet on a Sunday morning at 9:00 and our meeting place was to be Roselawn Cemetery in Livermore.
Gregg had some doubts about the whole meeting. I totally understood. Maybe Jeff wouldn't be interested in what Gregg had to tell him. Several years ago, Gregg had tried to tell this story to someone else, but the person he spoke with wasn't interested. Why would this encounter be any different? One benefit he had this time was that he had me. I was interested. It would be a few short days and we would all finally be meeting. I sat and wondered...what if Jeff wasn't interested? It didn't matter to me. I knew the story and would be able to reveal it once this meeting took place, no matter the consequences. Gregg gave me permission.
For me this was a most fascinating conversation. I learn more and more about the Mendenhall history and family all the time. It is amazing what one remembers when it involves your own family. Gregg remembered and shared so much with me. Everything was so exciting, it was difficult sometimes to believe I really wasn't part of the family. I have found history much more appealing these days compared to when I was in school and it was presented in such a dry manner. I really appreciate the stories I hear from family descendants, they aren't just dates and places, they are the meat and bones of the family.
We discussed what brought us together in the first place and why. I was given more explicit information regarding a story he wanted to share. He seemed content to have me present when the time comes that he meets the Historical Society President. What an honor, I was going to be present for this meeting!
I believe had it not been so very late when we ended the phone conversation we would have talked much longer. However, by the end our conversation Gregg was ready to meet with Jeff. Within a couple of days I was speaking with Jeff electronically. Jeff agreed to a meeting place and time. We were to meet on a Sunday morning at 9:00 and our meeting place was to be Roselawn Cemetery in Livermore.
Gregg had some doubts about the whole meeting. I totally understood. Maybe Jeff wouldn't be interested in what Gregg had to tell him. Several years ago, Gregg had tried to tell this story to someone else, but the person he spoke with wasn't interested. Why would this encounter be any different? One benefit he had this time was that he had me. I was interested. It would be a few short days and we would all finally be meeting. I sat and wondered...what if Jeff wasn't interested? It didn't matter to me. I knew the story and would be able to reveal it once this meeting took place, no matter the consequences. Gregg gave me permission.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Tombstone Tuesday - Mendenhall
Can you believe it? The story of the Mendenhall's that I have been telling about on this blog, and now I have come across a tombstone of Mendenhall's! This tombstone is located at Roselawn Cemetery in Livermore, California. I actually took the photo of this tombstone back on February 5th, 2009, long before I started the series of Oak Knoll Cemetery.
<Here is a close up of the headstone. Mendenhall is listed towards the bottom of the monument, second block up.
William A.- 1823-1911
Mary A . - 1830-1903
William Jr. - 1860-1925
Do you think these people are related to the William Mendenhall that I wrote about? Could this William A. Mendenhall be the founder of Livermore? William Mendenhall senior, the father of the founder of Livermore died on January 12, 1873, at the age of 78 years, 11 months, and 23 days. So conceivably William A. could be his son.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wordless Wednesday
Infant headsones. February 5, 2009. Roselawn Cemetery, Livermore, California. Digital image by Cheryl Palmer. Address for private use, California.
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